Next week, Black Label Trading Co. will begin shipping Orthodox, a new line that the company describes as one of its boldest blends to date.

It uses a Mexican San Andrés wrapper over an Ecuadorian habano binder and fillers from Nicaragua. Like the rest of the company’s lines, it is made at Fábrica Oveja Negra in Nicaragua.

Orthodox was shown off at the 2024 PCA Convention & Trade Show in March and is described as a “small batch release offered to retailers who attended” the trade show. There are three sizes, each of which is limited to 900 boxes.

  • Black Label Trading Co. Orthodox Toro (5 3/4 x 50) — $13 (Box of 20, $260)
  • Black Label Trading Co. Orthodox Corona Gorda (5 x 46)  — $12.50 (Box of 20, $250)
  • Black Label Trading Co. Orthodox Short Robusto (4 1/2 x 52) — $12.50 (Box of 20, $250)

“Orthodox is really about Black Label getting back to its roots,” said James Brown, creator of Black Label Trading Co., in a press release when the cigar was announced in March. “We’ve done a lot over the last 10 years but at our core we are about highlighting the strength & intensity of Nicaraguan tobacco. That’s what I went for with the Orthodox. It’s extremely bold with spice throughout the palate and nose. Its intensity is balanced by flavors of dark fruits, cherries, raisins and finishes with star anise. This cigar is bold but very balanced and extremely complex.”

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Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.